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Crossroads F rida y, D ecem ber 19, 2 0 2 5 | Vo lum e 23 N um b e r20 | $1.25 PER COPY ( plus ta x e s) SERVIN G BIRTLE, HAM IOTA, ROSSBURN , RUSSELL, SHOAL LAK E & SURROUN D IN G REGION
SLOT SHOT
This week
DAR R E L L N E SBIT T / CR O SSR O ADS T H IS W E E K Yellowhead U18 Chiefs forward Winston Lepp of Rivers looks to direct a shot to the Norman net as the club hosted the Northstars on Saturday, Dec. 13. Lepp and his teammates came out on top 7-2 in the contest, with Nolan Kozak, Grady McNish, and Ethan Turchinski each scoring twice. With just one game left before the holiday break, the Chiefs currently sport a 13-15-0-0 record, which puts them ninth in the 13-team league.
Clea r La ke boa t ba n to be decided by F eb. 2 0 2 6
P a rks Ca n a da a n n oun ces shiftin m a n a gem en tstra tegy a s zebra m ussels ha ve successfully esta blished in the la ke RAC HEAL FLIN TO FT Cro ssro a d s This W e e k
A critical decision on whether to restore or permanently ban motorized boats on Clear Lake is expected from Parks Canada by February 2026. The pending announcement arrives as the park confirms that the
invasive zebra mussels have successfully established a reproducing population in the lake, forcing a major shift in the park’s management strategy for one of Manitoba’s most treasured waters. The final ruling on watercraft management for the 2026 season will mark the conclusion of a highstakes review process. This proc-
ess has included weighing the damaging results of 2025 monitoring, examining a third-party study on how boat traffic impacts freshwater lakes, and incorporating feedback from the public and Indigenous communities. The decision is necessary because the effort to eradicate the mussels is now over. Monitoring
May your holiday season be merry and bright!
confirmed the population is reproducing, with the first-ever detection of the microscopic larvae, called veligers, found alongside small adult and juvenile mussels. This permanent establishment means the mussels’ genetic material is now a constant feature of the lake’s environment. As a result, Parks Canada will end rou-
tine DNA testing in Clear Lake, diverting those resources to protect other clean lakes in the park, such as Lake Katherine and Lake Audy. According to Parks Canada, the zebra mussel species poses a severe and permanent threat to the ecosystem and infrastructure.
SEE PR O T E CT IN G , PAGE 2